Sizing a furnace

Technicians

HVAC Contractor Practices That Should be Dealbreakers

HVAC Contractor Practices That Should be Dealbreakers

Choosing an HVAC contractor isn't always an easy task. Since you probably don't need regular HVAC work unless you've already subscribed to a maintenance plan, you may be unsure whom to choose, even if several contractors provide great references. What is easy, however, is quickly walking away from any contractors who engage in any of these deal-breaking practices:

1. Making a low-ball offer

Everyone wants to save money and some contractors rely on this to lure unsuspecting customers. If you need a major air conditioning, heating or sewer repair, make sure any quotes reasonably cover a professional spending a few hours at your home, travel time and the parts needed. If someone is offering to do the job for far less than the other contractors, it's likely they're untrained, are planning to cut corners, or will be looking to add on fees after the work has started.

2. Sticking to rules of thumb

Rules of thumb are great for ballpark estimates in a first conversation, but they should be followed up by further examination to make sure your needs are met. Selecting the right size for a furnace or air conditioner, for example, involves much more than a simple square footage calculation. An HVAC contractor trying to sell you something based on a rule of thumb may be trying to rip you off.

3. Giving phone quotes

Phone quotes are inaccurate because rules of thumb estimates don't work. An HVAC contractor needs to see your home to give an accurate final quote. Otherwise, they may just be trying to low-ball you. Think carefully before choosing their quote.

If you need an HVAC contractor you can trust for your repair or installation, contact Air Assurance. We have the solid reputation that comes with satisfying our customers since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Furnaces

Considering A New Furnace Before Winter Arrives? How To Determine The Right Size

Considering A New Furnace Before Winter Arrives? How To Determine The Right Size

The purchase of a new furnace is a significant investment in a sturdy piece of HVAC equipment that can be expected to give you, on average, 15-20 years of reliable service. You expect your furnace to provide consistent levels of heating throughout your home and to operate as efficiently and economically as possible. To ensure these needs are met, it is extremely important that you choose a new furnace that is correctly sized for your home.Sizing a furnace involves determining your home's heating load, or the amount of heating that is needed to keep your living environment at the temperature you prefer. It also involves making sure that the furnace you purchase can adequately meet that heating load. A too-small furnace can't provide enough heat and works too hard, causing unnecessary wear and early breakdowns. A too-large furnace overheats and wastes energy and money. Overheating also produces dry indoor air, which can cause uncomfortable physical effects on residents and damage to wood furniture and building materials.Many older furnaces tend to be oversized because they were installed when homes were often ineffectively sealed and insulated. A well-insulated home with few air and energy leaks will not need as large a furnace. Further, if you are installing a high-efficiency furnace, it won't need to be as large as the unit you're replacing.Heating load calculations should be performed by a qualified HVAC expert and according to industry standards such as the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J, "Residential Load Calculation." This manual contains all the technical procedures and standards for determining how much heating your home requires and the size furnace you need, based on evaluation of factors such as:

  • Local climate and weather

  • Size and shape of house

  • Directional orientation of house

  • Amount of insulation

  • Window size, location and type

  • Presence of heat-generating lights and appliances

  • Resident temperature preferences

Air Assurance has provided more than 30 years of reliable, professional HVAC services to customers in and around Tulsa. Contact us today for more information on furnace sizing, to get a cost estimate and load calculation for your home, or to schedule an installation at your convenience.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock